MANILA, Philippines – Teachers in schools affected by Mayon evacuations are in need of teaching supplies, as classes continue despite the threat of a possible volcanic eruption.

Education Assistant Secretary Rey Laguda made an appeal on his personal Facebook page Tuesday, September 30, for donations of the following teaching supplies for teachers in 78 affected schools:

• Manila paper
• markers
• chalk
• loose boards
• paper
• adhesive tape

The appeal comes as National Teachers’ Month concludes on October 5, which is World Teachers’ Day.

“This would be a great gift and tribute to them. I’m thinking of raising some amount to procure these supplies from nearby cities and hopefully have it in time for the weekend,” he wrote.

It has been two weeks since Mount Mayon in Albay was first placed on Alert Level 3 for showing signs of “relatively high unrest.” Around 12,303 families have since been evacuated.

Resumption of classes

As of Monday, September 30, about 38 schools in the permanent danger zone have been closed, while 40 other schools have been turned into evacuation centers.

These schools have embarked on class shifting and other interventions to accommodate around 52,800 affected students.

“We expect that all affected schools resume classes as of today,” Laguda told Rappler on Tuesday.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said in a statement Sunday, September 28, that it will download over P23 million ($512,000*) in funds to procure 15,000 chairs and to construct 300 temporary learning spaces.

DepEd is also calling for donations of tarpaulin, tents, chairs, and learner’s kits.

CALL FOR DONATIONS: Tents/tarps, chairs, and learner’s kit needed in affected schools in Albay. #MayonPH #educACTION pic.twitter.com/r7MAqrQ0Ay

— DepEd (@DepEd_PH) September 29, 2014

Donations in-kind may be dropped off at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City, or at the DepEd Region 5 office in Legazpi City.

Cash donations may be sent to the department’s Land Bank account:

• Account name: DECS OSEC TRUST
• Account number: 0672-1000-20

Protecting evacuees’ dignity

To protect the dignity of internally displaced persons, Albay Governor Joey Salceda prohibited school managers from making evacuees temporarily leave classrooms so they can hold classes.

“This is not in consonance with the value, which is our avowed goal, that the temporary shelter for internally displaced persons/families should approximate their homes except that we transported those homes into an evacuation camp,” Salceda wrote in a Facebook post.

He added: “What kind of home is it that you empty everyday to accommodate other purposes? That’s wrong; that assaults the dignity of IDPs.”

Salceda said the province still needs at least 950 classroom-tents “to bring schooling back to normal” in two weeks time. – Rappler.com

*$1 = P44.9